Radio network controller with channel assignment method

Abstract

 In order to provide a technique of making it possible to shorten the time taken by channel switching, and further to provide a technique of enabling simplification of a channel switching procedure, a radio network controller 102 assigns to each wireless terminal connected to a wireless network, either an individual channel 21 exclusively used by the wireless terminal or a common channel 22 shared with at least one wireless terminal different from the wireless terminal as a communication channel. The controller includes a determination portion 102A for determining that an individual channel is to be assigned to a wireless terminal; and an assignment portion 102B which, when the assignment of the individual channel has been determined, assigns an individual channel resource secured and held before the determination to the wireless terminal.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a radio network controller and a channel assignment method carried out by it, and in particular relates to a method of channel switching in a wideband-CDMA (W-CDMA) system.

[Background Art]

[0002] In recent years, a code division multiple access (CDMA) communication systems have been under rapid development. In addition to the current main service based on voice and still images, commercial service of a wideband CDMA system (W-CDMA) has also been started.
Under such a situation, by the 3rd-Generation Partnership Project (3GPP, http://www.3gpp.org/), a 3rd-generation mobile communication system standardizing group, various specifications based on the W-CDMA system have been drawn up in order to realize a system capable of providing a high-quality service.

[0003] The W-CDMA system mainly includes user equipment, base stations that terminate wireless sections, radio network controllers that control the base stations, and an exchange that manages the radio network controllers. As transmission lines between the base stations and the user equipment such as handsets, wireless transmission lines are used, so there is a limitation on usable resources (frequencies). Further, the mobile communication system is required to be capable of placing as many user equipments as possible in a communicable state. Therefore, in the W-CDMA system, effective use of the limited wireless resources is achieved by using different channels that are individual channels and common channels having mutually different characteristics.

[0004] In the W-CDMA system, assignment of the individual channels and the common channels to the user equipments is changed as appropriate in accordance with communication rates desired by the user equipments and the amounts of data actually transferred between the radio network controllers and the user equipments so that the wireless resources are used with efficiency. This changing of the assignment of the individual channels and the common channels is referred to as "channel switching".

[0005] When consideration is given to the effective use of the wireless resources, it is required that this channel switching be carried out in a real-time manner in accordance with the data transfer rates between the radio network controllers and the user equipments. Therefore, the capability of carrying out the channel switching in short cycles and the shortening of the time taken by the channel switching as much as possible lead to an increase in communication quality. See for instance:

[Patent document 1] JP 2001-505018 A

[Patent document 2] JP 2000-278327 A

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] Currently, the W-CDMA system operates as a system for making it possible to use the wireless resources effectively through channel switching control. When it is desired to increase the efficiency of the use of the wireless resources further from the current level, channel switching control in short cycles becomes necessary.

[0007] However, the channel switching control places large processing loads on the devices (radio network controllers, base stations, user equipment) constituting the W-CDMA system. Further, current procedures for the channel switching are time-consuming. This is because, when the channel switching is carried out, it is required to secure new resources for the radio network controllers and the base stations.

[0008] The W-CDMA system is adopted by many carriers. The number of users (number of user equipments) goes on increasing. This increase in the number of users arouses a fear that shortage of the wireless frequency resources will occur, and it is planned to take measures, such as expansion of a use frequency band, in the future.

[0009] It is obvious that under such circumstances, the channel switching control in short cycles is indispensable, and fine control in shorter cycles than before is required. In addition, it is also obvious that shortening of the processing time taken by the channel switching control and reduction of the processing loads on the network devices resulting from the control are important.

[0010] An object of the present invention is therefore to provide a technique with which it becomes possible to shorten the time for establishing an individual channel for a wireless terminal.

[0011] Further, another object of the present invention is to provide a technique of making it possible to shorten the time taken by channel switching.

[0012] Further, still another object of the present invention is to provide a technique of enabling simplification of the channel switching procedure.

[0013] An aspect of the present invention relates to a radio network controller for assigning, to each wireless terminal connected to a wireless network, one of an individual channel exclusively used by the wireless terminal and a common channel shared with at least one wireless terminal different from the wireless terminal as a communication channel,
the radio network controller including:

a determination portion for determining that an individual channel is to be assigned to a wireless terminal; and

an assignment portion for, when the assignment of the individual channel has been determined, assigning an individual channel resource secured and held before the determination to the wireless terminal.

[0014] With this construction, an individual channel resource secured and held before determination of individual channel assignment is assigned, so no individual channel resource securement time is required after the determination. Consequently, it becomes possible to shorten the time taken by the assignment.

[0015] Further, in this aspect of the present invention, when the determination portion has determined that a communication channel used by a wireless terminal is to be switched from a common channel to an individual channel, the assignment portion is capable of being configured to assign an individual channel resource secured and held before the determination of the switching to the wireless terminal.

[0016] With this construction, an individual channel resource secured before determination of individual channel assignment is assigned, so no individual channel resource securement time is required after the determination. Consequently, it becomes possible to shorten the time taken by channel switching. Further, it becomes possible to comply appropriately with a communication rate necessary for a wireless terminal and achieve an improvement in communication quality.

[0017] A storage portion may be included for storing identification information of each individual channel resource secured before the determination by the determination portion and a use state thereof, the assignment portion also being capable of finding an unused individual channel resource from the storage portion and assigning the found individual channel resource to a wireless terminal.

[0018] It is possible also to include a securement portion for securing an individual channel resource for assigning an individual channel to a wireless terminal even when there exists no wireless terminal to which the individual channel should be assigned.

[0019] Further, the securement portion may also be capable of securing the individual channel resource at the time of activation of the radio network controller.

[0020] With this construction, individual channel resource securement is performed before communication with a wireless terminal at the time of activation is started, so that it becomes possible to achieve a reduction in processing load.

[0021] When switching from an individual channel to a common channel has been carried out for a certain wireless terminal, the securement portion should also be capable of securing an individual channel resource used by the certain wireless terminal without releasing the individual channel resource.

[0022] With this construction, an individual channel resource is secured without releasing the individual channel resource, so it becomes possible to achieve a reduction of labor in a securement procedure (reduce the number of times of execution of the securement procedure).

[0023] The apparatus may.further include a storage portion for storing the certain wireless terminal and the individual channel resource used by the certain wireless terminal in association with each other, and when the determination portion determines that a communication channel used by the certain wireless terminal is to be switched from a common channel to an individual channel again, the assignment portion is also capable of referring to the storage portion and assigning the individual channel resource originally used by the certain wireless terminal.

[0024] With this construction, it becomes unnecessary to conduct an individual channel search again, so it becomes possible to determine an individual channel resource that should be assigned to a wireless terminal without delay. Further, it becomes possible to shorten the processing procedure.

[0025] The individual channel resource used by the certain wireless terminal may also be capable of being released when the certain wireless terminal moves to a wireless area that is different from a wireless area in which the certain wireless terminal is capable of using the individual channel resource.

[0026] With this construction, it becomes possible to achieve effective use of resources by releasing each individual channel resource that is considered unnecessary.

[0027] Further, at the time of outgoing from a wireless terminal or incoming to the wireless terminal, when the determination portion determines that an individual channel is to be assigned to the wireless terminal that is an outgoing terminal or an incoming terminal, the assignment portion may also be capable of assigning an individual channel resource secured and held before the determination to the wireless terminal.

[0028] With this construction, it becomes possible to shorten a channel establishment procedure at the time of outgoing and at the time of incoming.

[0029] The "wireless terminals" in the present invention include mobile communication devices such as portable telephones.

[0030] It is also possible to implement the present invention as a channel assignment method by a radio network controller having the same features as the radio network controller according to the present invention, a program for causing an information processing apparatus (computer or the like) to function as the radio network controller, or a storage medium recording the program.

[Effects of the invention]

[0031] With the present invention, it becomes possible to shorten the time for establishing an individual channel for a wireless terminal, to shorten the time taken by channel switching, and to simplify a channel-switching procedure.

[0032] The invention also relates to a network comprising one or more controllers as aforesaid, connected to an exchange, and a set of base stations served by each controller.

[0033] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. A construction in the embodiment is merely an example and the present invention is not limited to the construction in the embodiment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] 

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of a W-CDMA system.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram of individual channels and common channels,

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an operation flow of channel switching,

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an individual channel setting sequence at the time of apparatus resumption of a radio network controller or a base station,

FIG. 5A is a diagram showing an example of an individual channel management table in the radio network controller,

FIG. 5B is a diagram showing an example of the individual channel management table in the radio network controller,

FIG. 6A is a diagram showing a correspondence between a user equipment and an individual channel,

FIG. 6B is a diagram showing a correspondence between the user equipment and an individual channel,

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an operation flow of channel switching,

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a channel switching sequence in the case where an individual channel is held,

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a processing sequence example at the time of channel switching,

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a sequence for releasing a held individual channel, and

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a sequence for releasing an individual channel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

<System Configuration>

[0035] FIG. 1 shows a configuration example of a W-CDMA system. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the W-CDMA system includes a user equipment 105, base stations 103 that terminate wireless sections with the user equipment 105, radio network controllers 102 that each accommodate the multiple base stations 103 and control each base station 103, and an exchange 101 that manages the multiple radio network controllers 102, and is connected to a core network 100 through the exchange 101. An interface between the radio network controllers 102 and the exchange 101 is referred to as "Iu". An interface that establishes connection between the radio network controllers 102 is referred to as "Iur". An interface between the radio network controllers 102 and the base stations 103 is referred to as "Iub". An interface between the base stations 103 and the user equipment 105 is referred to as "Uu".

[0036] Connection between the radio network controllers 102 and the base stations 103 is established with wired transmission lines in ordinary cases. Note that there is also a case where the connection therebetween is established with wireless transmission lines. The base stations 103 and the user equipment 105 are connected with each other through wireless transmission lines.

[0037] Each radio network controller 102 includes a channel switching judgment portion 102A, a channel switching control portion 102B, and a storage portion 108.

[0038] When the user equipment 105 performs communication by connecting to the base station 103, the wireless network control portion 102 assigns a communication channel to be used in the communication to the user equipment 105 through cooperation with the base station 103. That is, prior to communication by the user equipment 105, from the user equipment 105 to the radio network controller 102, a communication channel to be used by the user equipment 105 is established.

[0039] As the communication channel, there are an individual channel, whose band is exclusively usable by the user equipment 105, and a common channel whose band is shared among multiple user equipments 105 connected to the base station 103. Further, as the communication channel, there are a transport channel established between the radio network controller 102 and the base station 103 and a physical channel established between the base station 103 and the user equipment 105.

[0040] The channel switching judgment portion 102A judges whether it is required to perform channel switching from a common channel to an individual channel or from an individual channel to a common channel for the user equipment 105 in accordance with the amount of communication between the user equipment 105 and the radio network controller 102.

[0041] The channel switching control portion 102B performs channel switching from a common channel to an individual channel or from an individual channel to a common channel.

[0042] The storage portion 108 stores a table (FIGS. 5A and 5B) for managing the communication channel among the radio network controller 102, the base station 103, and the user equipment 105. The radio network controller 102 further establishes a communication channel with the exchange 101, and a communication channel via the core network 100 is established between the exchange 101 and a user equipment of the other party (or terminal of the other party). The user equipment 105 is capable of performing communication with the terminal of the other party using the established communication channels.

[0043] The base station 103 executes an establishment procedure (connection procedure) for establishing the communication channel in a wireless section with the user equipment 105 and relays communication between the user equipment 105 and the radio network controller 102. The base station 103 accommodates multiple cells.

[0044] The user equipment 105 performs communication using a common channel or an individual channel assigned to itself.

[0045] FIG. 2 is a detailed explanatory diagram of concepts of individual channels 21 and common channels 22. Communication channels between the radio network controller 102 and the user equipments 105 include the individual channels 21 and the common channels 22.

[0046] The individual channels 21 are communication channels individually assigned to the user equipments 105 and the user equipments 105 are capable of exclusively using the individual channels 21. It is possible to set multiple individual channels 21 for one cell 23. Further, in each cell in which no user equipment 105 exists, physical channels of the individual channels 21 do not exist.

[0047] From the viewpoint of effective use of wireless resources, it is required that certain resources of the individual channels be assigned to respective user equipments 105. Therefore, many resources are required. That is, the number of user equipments 105 that can be accommodated in one cell is reduced.

[0048] The common channels 22 are communication channels assigned to certain areas (cells) and are commonly usable by multiple user equipments 105. One common channel 22 is set for one cell. The common channels 22 are commonly usable by multiple user equipments 105, so it is possible to accommodate many user equipments in one cell (it is possible to effectively use wireless resources). However, from the viewpoint of a communication rate per user equipment 105, a certain communication band is sharedly used among multiple user equipments 105, so depending on the communication statuses of the user equipments using the same common channel 22, there occurs a case where it is impossible to secure communication rates desired by user equipments that are different from the user equipments.

[0049] Further, the communication channels are classified into transport channels (A in FIG. 2) set between the radio network controller 102 and the base stations 103 and physical channels (B in FIG. 2) set between the base stations 103 and the user equipments 105. The transport channels include common channels and individual channels. In a like manner, the physical channels include common channels and individual channels. Also in the base stations 103 and the wireless network 102, resources (channels) corresponding to respective communication channels are established. The base stations 103 perform mapping of the transport channels and the physical channels.

<Operation Example>

[0050] FIG. 3 shows an outline of a channel switching method implemented through cooperation between the radio network controller and the base station.

[0051] As shown in FIG. 3, the channel switching method includes a step (S1102) of securing an individual channel resource in advance before channel switching from a common channel to an individual channel is carried out, a step (S1104) of holding the secured individual channel resource, a step (S1106) of confirming the presence of the held individual channel resource at the time of execution of the channel switching from a common channel to an individual channel, and a step (S1108) of performing the channel switching using the individual channel resource. Hereinafter, each of these steps will be described in detail.

<Individual Channel Resource Securement>

[0052] A method of securing individual channel resources in the radio network controller 102 and the base station 103 in advance before switching control from a common channel to an individual channel is exercised will be described below.

[0053] As the method of securing individual channel resources in advance, it is possible to consider a method, with which the individual channel resources are secured at the time of apparatus activation (resumption) of the radio network controller 102 or the base station 103, and a method with which individual channel resources secured at the time of outgoing from the user equipment 105 are secured as they are even after use thereof by the user equipment 105 has been ended. The individual channel resources may be secured in advance with a method other than these methods.

«Method with Which Individual Channel Resources Are Secured at the Time of Apparatus Resumption»

[0054] When either of the radio network controller and the base station has been activated (resumed), a sequence for setting a common channel is executed. The common channel is a channel to be set (secured) for a specific cell (area) in advance and is set before the system goes into service. At the time of this common channel setting, an individual channel resource is secured.

[0055] FIG. 4 shows the individual channel setting sequence at the time of the apparatus resumption of the radio network controller 102 or the base station 103. This sequence is repeated the same number of times as the number of individual channels that should be secured in advance. The number of individual channels secured in advance is an arbitrary number that is one or more.

[0056] When the radio network controller 102 or the base station 103 has resumed from a hibernation or shutdown state, a setting of a common channel is made (SQ101).

[0057] Next, the radio network controller 102 and the base station 103 make a radio link setting (individual channel setting) for each individual channel in the following manner. That is, the radio network controller 102 captures a resource in the radio network controller 102 corresponding to an individual channel that should be set (SQ102).

[0058] Next, the radio network controller 102 informs the base station 103 of a radio link setup request (SQ103). On receiving the radio link setup request, the base station 103 secures an individual channel (transport channel) resource and makes a setting of an interface with the user equipment 105 (SQ104).

[0059] When the processing in SQ4 is completed, the base station 103 informs the radio network controller 102 of a radio link setup response (SQ105). On receiving the radio link setup response, the radio network controller 102 informs the base station 103 of a line setup request (SQ106). The base station 103 captures an individual channel resource in the base station 103 (SQ107). When the processing in SQ7 is finished, the base station 103 informs the radio network controller 102 of a line resource (individual channel resource) setting confirmation (SQ108).

[0060] As a result, in the radio network controller 102, between the radio network controller 102 and the base station 103, and in the base station 103, individual channel resources are secured in advance. Further, it becomes unnecessary to exercise control for securing the individual channel resources and control for deleting the individual channel resources after this, so it becomes possible to simplify the channel switching procedure.

«Method with Which Individual Channel Resources Secured at the Time of Outgoing (Incoming) Are Held as They Are»

[0061] Alternatively, it is also possible to, at the time of channel switching, hold individual channel resources secured at the time of outgoing/incoming as they are without releasing them.

[0062] Through a basic outgoing (or incoming) procedure, not common channels but individual channels are assigned to the user equipment 105. That is, at the time of outgoing/incoming with respect to a certain user equipment, through the same procedure as in the case of the individual channel setting shown in FIG. 4, individual channel resources are secured.

[0063] After that, when a communication rate required by the user equipment 105 is below a communication rate that is usable in the individual channels, channel switching control is exercised to effectively use individual channel resources and communication channels assigned to the user equipment 105 are switched from the individual channels to the common channels.

[0064] Conventionally, in the channel switching control, processing for releasing the individual channel resources used by the user equipment 105 has been performed. In this embodiment, the release processing is not performed but the individual channel resources on a base station side (in the radio network controller 102, between the radio network controller 102 and the base station 103, and in the base station 103) used by the user equipment before the channel switching are held as they are (note that the individual channels of the physical channels are released).

[0065] Note that when the user equipment has moved to a cell that is different from a cell to which the held individual channel resources belong, the held individual channel resources may be released.

<Method of Holding (Managing) Individual Channels>

[0066] Next, a method of holding secured individual channel resources will be described.

[0067] The individual channel resources on the base station side secured with the method are managed with an individual channel management table created on the storage portion 108 provided for the radio network controller 102, for instance.

[0068] FIGS. 5A and 5B each show an example of the individual channel management table. In FIGS. 5A and 5B, individual channel management tables 701 and 702 each store the use states of individual channel resources, base station numbers assigned to base stations holding the individual channel resources, cell numbers assigned to cells in which the individual channel resources are secured, and scramble codes applied to the user equipments 105 that use the individual channel resources.

[0069] In a use state column, for each individual channel resource used, the identifier of a user equipment using the individual channel resource is stored. For each individual channel resource not used by any user equipment 105, data showing that the individual channel resource is not used is stored. The scramble codes are codes that are necessary to use individual channels.

[0070] With a base station number, a cell number, and a scramble code, it is possible to uniquely identify an individual channel. Note that it is also possible to manage the individual channel resources by giving unique identification codes to the individual channel resources, respectively.

[0071] The radio network controller 102 is capable of managing the secured individual channel resources and the user equipments 105 by associating them with each other on a one-to-one basis. When doing so, after channel switching from an individual channel to a common channel has been performed for a certain user equipment 105, when channel switching to an individual channel is performed again for the user equipment 105, the originally used individual channel is used.

[0072] When channel switching from a common channel to an individual channel is performed, an individual channel associated with a user equipment is held, so there is no necessity to search for a switching destination individual channel. Therefore, channel switching in a shorter time becomes possible.

[0073] In the case of the individual channel management table 702 shown in FIG. 5B, it is possible to describe and store identifiers of user equipments associated with individual channels as use user equipments.

[0074] FIGS. 6A and 6B each show an example of an association between a user equipment and an individual channel. The user equipment 105 is associated with an individual channel 21_1-1 of a cell 23_1 (FIG. 6A). When the user equipment 105 has moved from the cell 23_1 to a cell 23_2, the individual channel 21_1-1 secured in the cell 23_1 is released and an individual channel 21_2-1 of the cell 23_2 is secured newly (FIG. 6B).

[0075] Alternatively, the radio network controller 102 is also capable of conducting the management without associating the secured individual channel and the user equipment 105 with each other on a one-to-one basis. In this case, the radio network controller 102 manages information about the secured individual channel and information about a cell, in which the user equipment 105 exists, separately from each other. In this case, the user equipment 105 and the individual channel are not associated with each other on a one-to-one basis, so when the individual channel is assigned to the user equipment 105, it is required to judge whether an individual channel resource to be assigned is held.

<Channel Switching>

[0076] When a data transfer rate between the user equipment 105 using a common channel and the radio network controller 102 has increased and an occupancy rate in the common channel has exceeded a predetermined threshold value, the channel switching judgment portion 102A of the radio network controller 102 judges that it is possible to transfer data with more efficiency using an individual channel instead of the common channel. Next, the radio network controller 102 secures an individual channel for the user equipment 105 and carries out channel switching from the common channel to the individual channel.

[0077] FIG. 7 shows an operation flow of the channel switching from a common channel to an individual channel. The flowchart shown in FIG. 7 is started when the wireless network control portion 102 has found as a result of monitoring of a data transfer rate of the user equipment 105 using a common channel that the data transfer rate has exceeded a predetermined threshold value, for instance. In this case, the channel switching judgment portion of the radio network controller 102 judges that it is required to switch a communication channel assigned to the user equipment 105 from the common channel to an individual channel (S1001).

[0078] Next, the channel switching portion 102B of the radio network controller 102 refers to the individual channel management table 700 stored in the storage portion 108 and judges whether there exist any individual channels secured and held in advance (S1002). When there.exist any individual channels 21 secured and held in advance (S1002; YES), the channel switching portion 102B judges whether there exists any unused individual channel (S1004).

[0079] When there exists any unused individual channel (S1004;YES), the channel switching portion 102B sets the unused individual channel as a switching destination individual channel (when there exist multiple unused individual channels, one of the unused individual channels) is set as the switching destination individual channel and designates the individual channel as a use channel for the base station 103. When there exists no individual channel secured in advance (S1002; NO) or when there exists no unused individual channel (S1004; NO), the channel switching portion 102B secures an individual channel to be used by the user equipment 102 (S1008). Following this, the channel switching portion 102B carries out channel switching by cooperating with the base station 103 (S1010). When the channel switching (S1010) is completed, the channel switching processing shown in FIG. 7 is ended.

«Case Where Held Individual Channel Exists»

[0080] FIG. 8 shows an example of a processing sequence at the time of the channel switching in the case where any unused held individual channel exists (details of S1010 in FIG. 7).

[0081] The radio network controller 102 specifies an unused individual channel resource held in advance and informs the base station 103 of the specified individual channel resource (SQ202: S1006 in FIG. 7). The base station 103 assigns the specified individual channel resource to the user equipment 105. As a result, an individual channel resource secured and held in advance is placed under a state under which it is usable between the radio network controller 102 and the user equipment 105.

[0082] The radio network controller 102 informs the user equipment 105 of "physical channel reconfiguration (RRC)" (SQ203). As a result, it becomes possible to open a wireless interface between the base station 103 and the user equipment 105. The user equipment 105 switches the physical channel from a common channel to an individual channel (SQ204).

[0083] Following this, the user equipment 105 informs the radio network controller 102 of "physical channel reconfiguration complete (RRC)". The radio network controller 102 switches the transport channel (channel on the base station side) for the user equipment 105 from a common channel to an individual channel (SQ206).
According to the sequence shown in FIG. 8, the channel switching procedure is executed using an individual channel resource secured and held in advance, so an individual channel securement procedure becomes unnecessary, which makes it possible to shorten a time of channel switching.

[0084] Alternatively, it is also possible to assign the held individual channel resource as an individual channel to be assigned initially at the time of outgoing or incoming of the user equipment 105. As a result, an individual channel securement operation becomes unnecessary at the time of the outgoing or the incoming.

«Case Where Held Individual Channel Exists»

[0085] FIG. 9 shows an example of a processing sequence at the time of the channel switching in the case where an unused held individual channel does not exist.

[0086] The radio network controller 102 captures a resource to be assigned to an individual channel of a user equipment in the radio network controller (SQ302).

[0087] The radio network controller 102 informs the base station 103 of a "radio link setup request (NBAP)" in order to secure an individual channel resource (SQ303).

[0088] The base station 103 secures an individual channel resource in the base station and makes a setting of an interface with the user equipment (SQ304). When the resource securement ends in success, the base station 103 informs the radio network controller 102 of a "radio link setup response (NBAP) " (SQ305).

[0089] The radio network controller 102 informs the base station 103 of an "establish request (ALCAP)" in order to establish a line (SQ306). As a result, a resource on a line between the radio network controller 102 and the base station 103 is secured. The base station 103 captures a resource in the base station (SQ307).

[0090] The base station 103 informs the radio network controller 102 of "establish confirm (ALCAP)" for confirmation of the establishment of the line resource (SQ308). As a result, an individual channel is set.

[0091] The radio network controller 102 secures a resource for switching a channel with the user equipment 105 in the radio network controller (SQ309).

[0092] The radio network controller 102 informs the user equipment 105 of "physical channel reconfiguration (RRC)" (SQ310). As a result, it becomes possible to open a wireless interface between the base station 103 and the user equipment 105 set in advance.

[0093] The user equipment 105 performs channel switching from a common channel to the secured individual channel (SQ311). The user equipment 105 informs the radio network controller 102 of "physical channel reconfiguration complete (RRC)" (SQ312).

[0094] The procedure is the same procedure as the channel switching procedure adopted in the conventional technique.

<Release of Individual Channel>

[0095] A procedure for releasing an individual channel used by a user equipment when channel switching from the individual channel to a common channel is performed, when communication is ended, or the like will be described.

«Case of Held Individual Channel»

[0096] FIG. 10 shows a sequence for releasing a held individual channel. In FIG. 10, the radio network controller 102 informs the user equipment 105 of "connection release (RRC)" (SQ402). The user equipment 105 releases the resource of a physical channel (individual channel) that it uses (SQ403).

[0097] When the resource release is completed, the user equipment 105 informs the radio network controller 102 of "connection release complete (RRC)" (SQ404). The radio network controller 102 releases an individual channel resource assigned to the user equipment 105 in the radio network controller (SQ405). Following this, the radio network controller 102 informs the base station 103 of a resource whose use is to be stopped (SQ406). On being informed, the base station 103 places a corresponding individual channel resource under an unused state. The radio network controller 102 manages the resource as an unused resource.

«Case Other than Held Individual Channel»

[0098] FIG. 11 shows a sequence for releasing a held individual channel. In FIG. 11, the radio network controller 102 informs the user equipment 105 of "connection release (RRC)" (SQ502). The user equipment 105 releases the resource of a physical channel that it uses (SQ503). The user equipment 105 informs the radio network controller 102 of "connection release complete (RRC)" (SQ504).

[0099] The radio network controller 102 informs the base station 103 of a "radio link deletion request (NBAP)" (SQ506). The base station 103 deletes securement of an individual channel resource and a setting of an interface with the user equipment. The base station 103 informs the radio network controller 102 of a "radio link deletion response (NBAP)" (SQ507).

[0100] The radio network controller 102 informs the base station 103 of a "release request (ALCAP)" (SQ508). The base station 103 releases a resource in the base station (SQ509). The base station 103 informs the radio network controller of "release confirm (ALCAP)" for confirmation of the release of the resource (SQ510). The radio network controller 102 releases a resource in the radio network controller (SQ511).

[0101] The processing shown in FIG. 11 is the same as the individual channel release sequence used in the conventional technique.

<Effect of the Embodiment>

[0102] According to the embodiment, an individual channel resource on the base station side (in the radio network controller 102, between the radio network controller 102 and the base station 103, and in the base station 103) that should be assigned to the user equipment 105 is secured and held in advance before channel switching.

[0103] Following this, when there occurs a necessity of channel switching to an individual channel for a certain user equipment 105, the radio network controller 102 performs the channel switching using the individual channel resource secured and held in advance. As a result, a time required for the channel switching is shortened by a time of the individual channel resource securement. Further, procedure for securing the individual channel resource is omitted in the channel switching processing, so a load of the channel switching processing is alleviated. As a result, it becomes possible to perform the channel switching with efficiency as compared with the conventional case and it becomes possible to achieve an improvement in communication quality.

[0104] Further, individual channel resources and the user equipments 105 are managed in association with each other, so when an individual channel resource under a vacant state generated at the time of channel switching from an individual channel to a common channel for a certain user equipment 105 is held without being released and then an individual channel is assigned to the certain user equipment 105 again, a necessity to search for an individual channel resource to be assigned to the user equipment 105 is eliminated, thereby enabling smooth channel switching.

[0105] Further, in processing for releasing an individual channel secured and held in advance, processing for releasing an individual channel resource on the base station side is not performed and the individual channel resource is merely placed under an unused state, so it becomes possible to achieve shortening and simplification of processing.

[0106] Still further, it is possible to realize the procedure for securing individual channel resources in advance by omitting a procedure for setting physical channels for the user equipments 105 from a procedure executed at the time of an ordinary individual channel setting and it is possible to realize the individual channel release processing by omitting processing for releasing individual channel resources on the base station side from ordinary individual channel release processing. That is, it is possible to realize the channel switching method according to the present invention without making significant alterations to the conventional construction and procedure.

<Incorporation by reference>

[0107] The disclosures of Japanese patent application, No.JP2006-076694 filed on March 20, 2006 including the specification, drawings and abstract are incorporated by reference.

Claims

1. A radio network controller (102) for assigning, to each wireless terminal connected to a wireless network, one of an individual channel (21) exclusively used by the wireless terminal and a common channel (22) shared with at least one wireless terminal different from the wireless terminal as a communication channel,
the radio network controller including:

a determination portion (102A) for determining that an individual channel is to be assigned to a wireless terminal; and

an assignment portion (102B) for assigning, when the assignment of the individual channel has been determined, an individual channel resource secured and held before the determination to the wireless terminal.

2. A radio network controller according to Claim 1, wherein when the determination portion (102A) has determined that a communication channel used by a wireless terminal is to be switched from a common channel to an individual channel, the assignment portion (102B) assigns an individual channel resource (21) secured and held before the determination of the switching to the wireless terminal.

3. A radio network controller according to Claim 1 or 2, further including a storage portion (108) for storing identification information of each individual channel resource secured and held before the determination by the determination portion and a use state thereof,
wherein the assignment portion (102B) finds an unused individual channel resource from the storage portion and assigns the found individual channel resource to a wireless terminal.

4. A radio network controller according to Claim 1, further including a securement portion for securing an individual channel resource for assigning an individual channel to a wireless terminal even when there exists no wireless terminal to which the individual channel should be assigned.

5. A radio network controller according to Claim 4, wherein the securement portion secures the individual channel resource at the time of activation of the radio network controller.

6. A radio network controller according to Claim 4, wherein when switching from an individual channel to a common channel has been carried out for a certain wireless terminal, the securement portion secures an individual channel resource used by the certain wireless terminal without releasing the individual channel resource.

7. A radio network controller according to Claim 6, further including a storage portion for storing the certain wireless terminal and the individual channel resource used by the certain wireless terminal in association with each other,
wherein when the determination portion determines that a communication channel used by the certain wireless terminal is to be switched from a common channel to an individual channel again, the assignment portion refers to the storage portion and assigns the individual channel resource originally used by the certain wireless terminal.

8. A radio network controller according to Claim 7, wherein the individual channel resource used by the certain wireless terminal is released when the certain wireless terminal moves to a wireless area that is different from a wireless area in which the certain wireless terminal is capable of using the individual channel resource.

9. A radio network controller according to Claim 1, wherein at a time of outgoing from a wireless terminal or incoming to the wireless terminal, when the determination portion determines that an individual channel is to be assigned to the wireless terminal that is an outgoing terminal or an incoming terminal, the assignment portion assigns an individual channel resource secured and held before the determination to the wireless terminal.

10. A channel assignment method in which a radio network controller assigns, to each wireless terminal connected to a wireless network, one of an individual channel exclusively used by the wireless terminal and a common channel shared with at least one wireless terminal different from the wireless terminal as a communication channel,
including the steps of:

determining that an individual channel (21) is to be assigned to a wireless terminal; and

assigning, when the assignment of the individual channel is determined, an individual channel resource secured and held before the determination to the wireless terminal.

11. A channel assignment method according to Claim 10, further including the step of assigning, when it is determined that a communication channel used by a wireless terminal is to be switched from a common channel to an individual channel, an individual channel resource secured and held before the determination of the switching to the wireless terminal.

12. A channel assignment method according to Claim 10 or 11, further including the steps of:

storing identification information of each individual channel resource secured and held before it is determined that a communication channel used by a wireless terminal is to be switched from a common channel to an individual channel and a use state thereof; and

finding an unused individual channel resource with reference to the identification information of the secured and held individual channel resource and the use state thereof and assigning the found individual channel resource to the wireless terminal.

13. A channel assignment method according to Claim 10, further including the step of: securing an individual channel resource for assigning an individual channel to a wireless terminal even when wireless terminal to which the individual channel should be assigned does not exist.

14. A channel assignment method according to Claim 13, further including the step of securing the individual channel resource at a time of activation of the radio network controller.

15. A channel assignment method according to Claim 13, further including the step of securing, when switching from an individual channel to a common channel is carried out for a certain wireless terminal, an individual channel resource used by the certain wireless terminal without releasing the individual channel resource.

16. A channel assignment method according to Claim 15, further including the steps of:

storing the certain wireless terminal and the individual channel resource used by the certain wireless terminal in association with each other, and

referring, when it is determined that a communication channel used by the certain wireless terminal is to be switched from a common channel to an individual channel again, to associations among identification information of each secured and held individual channel resource, a use state thereof, and the individual channel resource used by the certain wireless terminal, and assigning the individual channel resource originally used by the certain wireless terminal.

17. A channel assignment method according to Claim 16, further including the step of releasing the individual channel resource used by the certain wireless terminal when the certain wireless terminal moves to a wireless area that is different from the wireless area in which the certain wireless terminal is capable of using the individual channel resource.

18. A channel assignment method according to Claim 10, further including the step of assigning, at a time of outgoing from a wireless terminal or incoming to the wireless terminal, when it has been determined that an individual channel is to be assigned to the wireless terminal that is an outgoing terminal or an incoming terminal, an individual channel resource secured and held before the determination to the wireless terminal.

Drawing